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Several main factors impacted adult education research in the 1980s: the convenient access to information resources (Imel, 1989), the broad cooperation among international adult educators and the exchange of information through conferences, the dissemination of international adult education directories (Cookson, 1989), and the increase in social problems such as poverty.

 

Researchers realized the limitation of adult education research based on the psychological perspectives and suggested to enlarge the territory of adult Education research and to revise the traditional purposes of adult education according to the new needs in society (Rachal, 1989).

 

In the 1980s, adult education theory underwent a rapid change. Elias and Merriam (1980) developed the philosophical foundation of adult education and a variety of perspectives on the purposes of adult education, which influenced researchers in the 1980s and even in the later decades. Researchers increasingly built their theories based on these philosophical orientations (Beder ,1989).

 

Adult education researchers in the 1980s pointed out some strategies to enlarge the adult education research territory, in addition to borrowing and reforming theory from different disciplines. These strategies include: generating theory unique to adult learning and development, building on critical theory, testing theory through international comparative research and synthesizing through metaresearch (Deshler & Hagan, 1989).

 

Researchers realized the importance of the social function of adult education and the necessity to develop multiple research methods and research purposes.

 

More researchers realized that the social functions of adult education should be stressed, and that adult education research should look at a bigger picture in addition to personal growth.

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